The New York Giants snapped a four-game winless streak with Sunday night’s 20-12 victory over the Washington Commanders.
New York put themselves in prime position to capture a postseason berth with the win but there is a wide range of things we learned from Sunday’s win.
Here are a few.
The culture change is real
When Joe Schoen and Brian Daboll took over as general manager and head coach earlier this year, they promised to change the Giants’ culture from the miserable, losing one of the past decade to a prosperous, winning one.
The victory on Sunday night went a long way in validating that message.
The Giants, 8-5-1 with three games remaining in the regular season, are guaranteed to finish without a losing record for the first time since 2016 and have a 90 percent chance of qualifying for the postseason.
They did it all with a roster filled with short-term free agents, unproven rookies, draft failures, and overpaid veterans.
Bravo, gentleman.
How about that Kayvon Thibodeaux?
Giants rookie outside linebacker Kayvon Thibodeaux told reporters last week that “prime time likes me.”
He didn’t lie. In front of millions of national television viewers, the fifth overall pick in this year’s draft put on a show of dominance, the likes of which had not been seen by football fans in years.
Thibodeaux recorded 12 total tackles, including a strip sack in which he scooped up the fumble himself and scored, and a key game-saving tackle in the final minute.
“I think he has consistently improved throughout the year. I’ve said this before, I’m glad we drafted him,” Daboll said after the game. “I’m glad he is a part of the team. I think he has gotten better each week. He’s a big part of our defense.”
On the rookie’s performance on Sunday night, Daboll had this to say:
“I thought he gave obviously a lot of juice. That play that he made down there when they were backed up kind of changed the tide a little bit in the early part of the game. He is a very talented player and he played like it,” he said.
As for the ‘prime-time’ comment, Daboll was a bit more tempered in his response.
“I mean he’s played in two prime-time games in the NFL. We will kind of slow the roll on that one,” he said.
Just enough offense to win -- again
The Giants’ offense has been consistent all year, scoring no less than 13 points in any game and no more than 27. They are averaging 20.5 points per game and allowing 22.3.
On Sunday night, they held Washington to 12 points. When they hold opponents to 20 points or fewer the Giants are 7-0-1 this season.
When they allow more than 20 points, the Giants’ record is 1-5.
Their offense did not do all of the scoring on Sunday night, however. The Giants’ first score in the game was on defense but there were some positive signs.
The Giants won the time of possession 30:30 to 29:30 and converted on their only fourth down and red zone attempts.
The Giants put together an 18-play, 97-yard touchdown drive in the second quarter that panned 8:35. It was their longest scoring drive in eight seasons.
Giants get some help
Yes, the officials gave the Giants a lot of latitude in this one, looking the other way on plays that could have drawn flags. That includes the game’s final competitive play where Giants’ defensive back Darnay Holmes was draped all over Commanders wideout Curtis Samuel in the end zone.
If a flag was dropped, it would have given Washington a first-and-goal on the one with 48 seconds remaining. Unless they also called a penalty on the hands to the face of Thibodeaux, in which case they would have offset (still, another Washington opportunity).
Of course, the Commanders would have needed to score both a touchdown and the ensuing two-point conversion just to tie the game.
NBC analyst Terry McAulay, a former NFL referee, believed a penalty should have been called on the play.
NBC rules analyst Terry McAulay says refs missed a DPI on Curtis Samuel:
“This is defensive pass interference … it’s always a foul and should have been called.” pic.twitter.com/8teYF6UBxd
— Josh Hill (@jdavhill) December 19, 2022
But, the official who counts, game referee John Hussey, disagreed.
A big week for pool reports continues with referee John Hussey telling @NickiJhabvala of the no-call on a pass to Curtis Samuel late in the #Commanders–#Giants game: “To the officials it didn't rise to what they felt was a restriction, thus they didn't call it.” pic.twitter.com/DQwnVIwy3b
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) December 19, 2022
